Knox Monroe
John Monroe is an American Professional Wrestler better known under ring name Knox Monroe. Monroe is currently a freelancer working mostly with INTREPID and DREAM GrapplArts. He is best known for his time spent in Wolf's Den, where he is a former two-time Honored Summit Champion. During Wolf's Den's peak in popularity, Monroe was one of its top heels, and was the leader of heel faction CataClysM. Early Life John Knox Monroe was born in Biloxi, Mississippi on February 16, 1984. He grew up there until graduating from high school, after which he went to the University of Chicago. While growing up, Monroe fell in love with pro wrestling after a friend gave him a tape of Buddy Saint facing Terry Good in Rick Kendrick Promotions. To him, Saint was a perfect reflection of himself, someone who was smaller than most but was still extremely strong and resilient, and Good was the first man he ever felt he truly hated, gaining this hatred from his heel persona alone. Professional Wrestling Career Early Career(2000-2004) in 2000, Monroe started receiving training from Buddy Saint and assistant coach Jack Fields at Saint's wrestling school. He made his in-ring debut on July 25 in a losing effort. He was given the ring name JK Monroe due to that being the actual name most people called him. He worked the southern independent scene for two years, but nothing came of it. When he went to Chicago, he tried to build up his name there, but more athletic and more violent wrestlers were, at that time, the most popular acts in that area. In 2004, on the brink of giving up on wrestling, he was given the opportunity to attend a training seminar hosted by the original Super Wolf, Naofuji Date. Date was looking for foreign talents to be brought into Wolf's Den to add more variety to the promotion. Date saw Monroe as perfect untapped potential, as he had his basics down perfectly and nuanced his wrestling to achieve good heel heat, and Date saw that he could, at the bare minimum, be a hard working, reliable heel wrestler for the babyfaces to defeat. Monroe was given the opportunity to join Wolf's Den, but initially denied, wanting to finish college. However, he decided to drop out of college and go to Wolf's Den anyways. Wolf's Den(2004-2012) In late 2004, Knox Monroe, along with 7 other gaijin wrestlers from across North America, went to Japan to live and train in the Wolf's Den Dojo. Monroe was mostly trained by Eiji Takeshi, better known as the second Super Wolf and the first Darkness Wolf. He made his debut for the promotion as Oushiza on March 8, 2005. He quickly joined popular face stable Tomorrow Warriors. In mid-2006, Oushiza turned on stable leader Toshio Nagoya and joined the villianous stable CataClysM, hitting Nagoya with his new finisher, Heaven(now known as Original Heaven). Wrestling without his mask and using more heel tactics, he soon became considered the "muscle" for captain YUIKI. While YUIKI was battling rival Super Wolf III, Oushiza would take on the larger Tank Wolf. Like their respective leaders, Oushiza and Tank faced off in a Hair vs. Mask match, although unlike YUIKI who lost and was shaved bald, Oushiza won and unmasked Tank Wolf as Kane Rikimaru. He would capture the Dual Summit Championship twice with K-Ryoma under the tag name Mountain-Crush. He also competed in Reyes del Mundo del Lucha Libre(RMLL) through a working agreement between the two companies, winning the RMLL World Heavyweight Championship once. In August 2008, Oushiza left CataClysM to "go on his own path", redebuting with the Darkness Wolf mantel, and facing Super Wolf III in a series of matches, leading up to a Mask vs. Mask 2/3 falls match at Wolf's Den's January 1 Show "The New Moon in Tokyo 2009". Super Wolf would be victorious, and although Darkness unmasked himself as Knox Monroe and shook Super Wolf's hand, CataClysM rushed the ring and attacked Wolf. Monroe at first pretended to help Wolf, before not only attacking him but also YUIKI, hitting both men with Final Heaven ''and becoming the new leader of CataClysM. In July 2009, Monroe competed for the first time in the annual Mountaintop Tournament, which determines the ranking of contenders for each of the titles. Monroe finished second in the heavyweight block, meaning he had second priority towards the Honored Summit Championship, held at that time by Toshio Nagoya. He faced off against Nagoya on October 3, 2009 at "Wolf's Howl in Osaka", defeating him and becoming the champion. He held the title for 90 days, losing it back to Nagoya at "The New Moon in Tokyo 2010". They had a rematch one month later, which Monroe lost once again. However, YUIKI, now a face, defeated Nagoya for the title in March and challenged multiple former foes to title matches, including Monroe. They would have their match, a steel cage match, On June 21 at "Destiny Mountain in Tokyo 2010", and Monroe would win using his new ''Ultimate Heaven finisher, becoming the Honored Summit Champion a second time. He also won the Dual Summit Championships with K-Ryoma a second time during the Mountaintop Tournament. Under the Bulldogs rule, Monroe passed his part of the title to Crazy Wolf to carry on defending the Honored Summit Championship. His reign would end after 340 days and 9 title defenses, losing it to Kaito Kirigaya in an iron man match at "Wolf's Hunt in Hiroshima" on May 27 2011. Monroe stepped down as leader of CataClysM after this, and soon left the stable. Monroe would become a babyface and join SpiritS, an all-star trio of Monroe, Super Wolf III, and Toshio Nagoya. The trio won the Triple Summit Championship on September 20, losing it 103 days later at "The New Moon in Tokyo 2012". Monroe would announce at the annual press conference the day after that he would not be resigning with Wolf's Den when his contract expired in June. Monroe then went on a farewell tour, facing multiple former opponents and rising stars, including Toshio Nagoya, Super Wolf III, K-Ryoma, YUIKI, Kaito Kirigaya, Shunsuke Takeda, and a semi-active Emperor Wolf, who is usually the last opponent for a leaving star in Wolf's Den. However, Monroe's last match in the promotion was on June 22 at "Destiny Mountain in Tokyo 2012" against Eiji Takeshi under his ring name Golden Wolf, defeating him with Ultimate Heaven. On June 30 2012, Monroe's contract was officially ended and he became a free agent. Return to the independent circuit(2012-present) Monroe had his first match after his contract ended on July 7 against Trent Good, son of Terry Good, in a winning effort. He became a semi-active member of Good's Deathmatch-based Philly Premier Combat(PPC), and has been a two-time Television Champion for the promotion. In 2013, Monroe debuted for Dallas-based IPWC affiliate Pro Wrestling Champions, defeating Tyson Markus. He would fight Eli Tremendous for the IPWC Titans Championship twice but lose both times. Monroe would take a break from pro wrestling in 2014 for two years, using that time to look for other careers and opportunities in the business with the hopes of having an idea of future career paths once he retired. After the break, he returned to the business and began working as an editor for multiple promotions, as well as dipping his toes into promoting with God-Tier Pro Wrestling. In 2017, Monroe joined the roster of Chicago-based IPWC affiliate INTREPID Wrestling. Through the IPWC's partnerships, he made his first appearance in Japan since leaving Wolf's Den as part of team INTREPID for DREAM GrapplArts Trios Tournament, making it to the semi-finals. In wrestling Finishing moves * Brainbuster - early career, used sparingly since * Calamity/Final Heaven(Wolf's Den) (Fisherman's Driver) - 2007-present * Original Heaven(Fireman's Carry Driver, sometimes cross-legged) - 2006-2007, used rarely since * Ultimate Heaven(Electric Chair Driver) - used 3 times * Elevated Triangle Choke - 2016-present Signature moves * Raging Bomber(Lariat) * Front Dropkick * Taurus Clutch(Cross Tetsu-Gatame) * Multiple Chop Variations ** Knife Edge ** Overhand ** Mongolian ** Cross * Jaw Gripped Slaps * Backdrop Suplex * Snap Piledriver * Darkwolf Suplex '93(Half Nelson Choke Suplex) - Adopted from Eiji Takeshi/Darkness Wolf/Super Wolf II * Buckle Bomb * Running Corner Spear * Vlad Hunter(Middle Rope Diving Spear) Nicknames * "Raging Bull" * "Southern Destroyer" * "Neck Breaker" * "The Prize Fighter" Entrance themes * "Requiem, Dies Irae" by W. A. Mozart * "Human Fly" by The Cramps * "RAGINGBULL" by Wolf's Den Music Championships and accomplishments God-Tier Pro Wrestling: * ' '''GTPW Tag Team Champion (1 time with Ryan Nalmore) '''International Pro Wrestling Commission:' * Ranked in top 50 of IPWC Global Rankings in 2010, 2011, and 2012 * IPWC Stable of the Year (2010) with CataClysM INTREPID Wrestling: * World Heavyweight Champion (1 time) Philly Premier Combat: * PPC Television Champion (2 times, current) Wolf's Den: * Honored Summit Champion (2 times) * Dual Summit Champion (3 times with K-Ryoma) * Triple Summit Champion (1 time with Toshio Nagoya and Super Wolf III) * Gaora Sports Pro Wrestling Match of the Year (2010) vs. YUIKI on June 21 Luchas de Apuestas record